Metallica has announced the release a deluxe Black Album Funko Pop in December exclusively via Walmart. The oversized collectible spans 23 inches wide and features the iconic cover on one side and a Platinum record replica with Pop figures of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted on the other.
Item is expected to arrive in stores on December 21st and is part of the 30th anniversary celbration of The Black Album. The album has received the “definitive” treatment with remastered audio available in several configurations including, limited edition deluxe numbered box set with more than 24 hours of content across 14 CDs, 6 LPs and 6 DVDs; Deluxe 3 CD featuring the remastered album alongside 27 live tracks, demos, & rough mixes; 2 LP 180-gram vinyl with MP3 card; single CD and cassette of the original album remastered.
On Friday (Oct 1st), the band will also release The Metallica Blacklist on 4 CD and a limited edition 7 LP vinyl that celebrates the enduring influence of Metallica with an unprecedented 53 artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut. All profits will be donated to charities of each contributing artist’s choice along with Metallica’s own foundation, All Within My Hands.
The Black Album is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of all time. Its 1991 release not only gave Metallica its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four week run at No. 1 in the US, its unrelenting series of singles — “Enter Sandman”, “The Unforgiven”, “Nothing Else Matters”, “Wherever I May Roam”, and “Sad But True” — fueled the band’s rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The album’s reception from the press was similarly charged, building over the years from the top 10 of the 1991 Village Voice Pazz & Jop national critics poll to becoming a constant presence in the likes of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. The album’s impact and relevance continue to grow — as proven by one indisputable fact: The Black Album remains unchallenged as the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen Soundscan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years.
Jakarta’s governor, Joko Widodo, is parting with his prized signed Metallica bass for the time being as the government investigates whether or not the gift from the band violates any conflict of interest rules.
The Jakarta Globe reports that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has asked that Widodo surrender the guitar after he was photographed with it as all public officials are required to report the receipt of gifts to the antigraft commission within 30 days.
The bass was signed by Robert Trujillo to Widodo in April with the message, “To Jokowski, Keep playing that cool, funky bass!” Widodo, an avid metal fan, told reporters last week that he planned to ask Metallica to play the country and was thrilled to have received the gift from the bassist.
“After 30 days, we will announce if the gift can be returned to the recipient or should be confiscated by the state,” explained KPK spokesperson Johan Budi. “If they say I can’t have it, so be it,” stated Widodo. “I will return the guitar to the state.” The governor said he considered the bass a souvenir rather than a gift, but decided to report it to the
